Normally, an editor such as myself would find a task like this to be about as enjoyable as dental surgery without anesthesia. (No offense to the Rancho Mirage candidates; the case is the same with full Q&A interviews with candidates for each and every office. The responses are important and interesting, albeit a bit rambling in some cases, but the task of carefully proofing the text is, well, bleh.)

But today, it was … nice.

A hat tip to Kevin Fitzgerald, the Independent’s staff writer, who had to transcribe all of those 8,000 words. Buy him a drink the next time you see him out and about. Y’know, in a few months.

Sigh.

Anyway, on with the news:

• Yesterday was the first time in the Independent’s history that we’ve ever sent an email to our e-subscriber list that was not specifically related to Independent content. Instead, it was about the vitally important work the Desert AIDS Project is doing now—and the fact that the organization, due to a loss in revenue and a huge rise in expenses because it opened a whole, new clinic to respond to the COVID-19 crisis—really needs our help. Find that message here, and go here if you can help: https://desertaidsproject.salsalabs.org/covid19fund/p/coachellavalleyindependent/index.html

Carlos Argumedo, of Farm, came in as the defending champ, and became the event's first-ever competitor to win two awards, when he earned the Audience Choice Award. The night's top honors went to Jake's Juan Hurtado, who blew the judges away by making an amazing drink using both the rye and tequila.

Ten bartenders competed in the event, which sold out for the second year in a row. Each competitor made tastes of their drinks for each attendee, before making full drinks for the judges: liquor sponsor Leslie Barclay; Brad Fuhr, of media sponsor Gay Desert Guide; and representatives of Palm Springs Craft Cocktail Week’s beneficiaries: Desert AIDS Project rep Jeffery Norman, and the LGBT Community Center of the Desert’s Raul Rodriguez.

The event was hosted by Independent publisher Jimmy Boegle. However, Jeffrey Norman and Shann Carr took over when Boegle fell and was unable to continue.

The championship is the highlight of Palm Springs Craft Cocktail Week, a production of the Coachella Valley Independent. During the week, which continues through Saturday, Feb. 8, participating restaurants create a special drink for the week, or highlight an existing drink from their menus, and donate at least $2 from each drink sold during the week to the Desert AIDS Project and the LGBT Community Center of the Desert. A complete list of drinks and participants can be found at PSCraftCocktails.com.

Below is a collection of photos from the event, taken by the Independent’s Kevin Fitzgerald.

Let’s start off with the negative stuff: The Black Cherry Manhattan is overpriced. There’s no good reason for a drink to cost $14 when one can get a 750-milliliter bottle of the starring liquor for less than $20. Period.

The aforementioned starring liquor is Jim Beam Red Stag, a black-cherry flavored bourbon. Now, before all you bourbon purists out there start freaking out and taking umbrage with the idea of flavored freaking bourbon, please chill. I am with you. I am not recommending you rush out and buy a bottle of Red Stag for sipping. (Though if you do, and you like it, that’s fine with me. I am not judgmental like those folks who are taking umbrage.)

However, when this liquor is presented as a Manhattan, and garnished with tasty black cherries, this stuff is good. If you are a Manhattan purist, or you like your Manhattan not-so-sweet and woody, this drink is not for you. But if you may like a sweeter, lighter Manhattan, give this drink a shot. You’ll like it—and while it’s lighter, it’s still got a Manhattan-style punch.

So, splurge a little. Enjoy the $19 delicious meatloaf, and have a Black Cherry Manhattan. It’s almost worth the price.